A SALESMAN swindled a Gwynedd company out of £40,000 after becoming addicted to internet gambling.

Ceirion Rhys Williams, 31, of Waunfawr, near Caernarfon, built up debts of £110,000 after getting hooked on gambling on his laptop.

The cash included £40,724 he stole from R&I Jones confectionery suppliers, of Caernarfon, which was forced to lay off a long-serving member of staff because of the losses.

Recorder Rhys Rowlands said his crimes hit the company at a time when small firms were already struggling in the economic climate.

He jailed Williams for 21 months saying he had abused his position of trust within the company. He also warned that gambling risked dominating and ruining people’s lives.

The court heard that prior to gambling the sales rep had been a good member of the community, and served as a youth leader.

But after becoming addicted he built up a personal debt of £40,000 and borrowed a further £30,000 from his dad.

When he still needed yet money to feed his habit he took to pocketing cash from 11 customers of R&I Jones, keeping this up for two years before he was confronted in July 2008 by company boss Meirion Roberts over an invoice. Williams came clean over a string of thefts totalling more than £40,000.

Prosecuting, Gareth Parry said: “This had a substantial impact on the business, which had to lay off an employee who had worked with the company for seven years and recently got married. The company has not been able to get back any of the money.”

Defending, Dafydd Roberts, said Williams had committed himself to a residential programme in the south of England to beat his addiction.